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2026-02-17T19:00:00-07:00

...CRITICAL TO EXTREMELY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY TUESDAY... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 248, 249, 250 and 251. * TIMING...Until 7 PM MST this evening. * WINDS...West 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.


Rappahannock River River Levels

Last Updated: February 17, 2026

The Rappahannock River is a 195-mile river in Virginia that flows through the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Rappahannock River was last observed at 209 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 415 acre-ft of water today; about 5% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 4,306 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2014-05-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at 66,200 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg reporting a streamflow rate of 120 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Rappahannock River At Remington with a gauge stage of 5.48 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Rappahannock River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 301 ft, the Rappahannock River At Remington.




15-Day Weather Outlook


River Details

Last Updated 2026-01-26
Discharge Volume 415 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 209.4 cfs
-51.6 cfs (-19.77%)
Percent of Normal 4.86%
Maximum 66,200.0 cfs
2014-05-01
Seasonal Avg 4,306 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Rappahannock River At Remington
USGS 01664000
89 cfs 5.48 ft -15.66
Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg
USGS 01668000
120 cfs 3.57 ft -22.58
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately 195 miles (314 km) in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west where it rises, across the Piedmont to the Fall Line, and onward through the coastal plain to flow into the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.
An important river in American history, the Rappahannock was long an area of occupation by indigenous peoples. During the colonial era, early settlements in the Virginia Colony were formed along the river. It was at the center of a major theater of battle in the American Civil War, where tens of thousands of troops fought against each other. Some 10,000 African-American slaves escaped across the river to Union lines and freedom, after the first Battle of Fredericksburg. Due to the river's significance as an obstacle to north-south movements, it effectively functioned as the boundary of the eastern theater of the war, between the "North" (the Union) and the "South" (the Confederate States of America).
The river drains an area of 2,848 square miles (7,380 km2), approximately 6% of Virginia. Much of the watershed is rural and forested, but development in it has increased since the late 20th century with the southward expansion of the Washington, D.C. suburbs.